Zane & Lucky's First Christmas (Forever Love, #5) (9 page)

“Let me see, don’t forget to reserve the honeymoon suite at whatever hotel you choose.”

“Yeah. That’s one thing I won’t forget.”

“What food are you going to serve at the reception?”

“What reception?”

“The reception where you thank all your guests for coming and supply us with free booze and food.”

“Oh. Where will that be?”

“That you have to figure out, handsome.”

“Shit.”

“Just find the venue for the wedding ceremony and choose a place close to there.”

“You make it sound so easy.”

“No comment.”

“Thanks for your help, Leeza.”

“I’m not so bad.”

“Yeah, maybe you’re not.”

“I’d do anything for Lucky, you know.” She took a deep breath. “I know you think I’m a bad friend and you know what, maybe you’re right. I’ve been a bad friend at some points, but I love her like a sister and I would kill anyone that tried to harm her.”

“So you’re going to try and off yourself?”

“Not funny.” Her voice was tight. “If you do anything that makes her cry or if you break her heart, I will kill you.”

“That doesn’t sound like an idle threat.”

“You already know that I’m crazy.”

“That I do.”

“Don’t fuck her over, Zane.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that.”

“Good. I’ll be waiting on my ticket.”

“Uh huh.”

“Oh, and Zane.”

“Yes?” I waited for it, the moment she was going to hit on me and show me her true colors again.

“Good luck.”

“What?”

“Good luck.” Her voice was soft. “What you’re doing is sweet, but it’s going to be hard. Good luck.”

“Thank you.” I hung up and stared at the phone contemplating the conversation we had just had. I still hated Leeza and I didn’t trust her, but I was starting to warm to her. Maybe she wasn’t quite as bad as I had thought she was.

“What you up to, honey bunch?” Lucky walked through the door with a glass of water in her hand and I was glad that she hadn’t walked in just a few minutes earlier and ruined my surprise.

“Not much, just going out to meet Leo for lunch.”

“Oh.” She looked at me with a sad expression. “I was hoping we could go for pizza.”

“Really?”

“No, but I don’t want you to go out either.” She made a face.

“What’s wrong, Lucky?”

“I don’t know.” She walked over and sat on my lap. “I feel weird.”

“Do we need to take you to the doctor?” I asked her in a panicked voice.

“No,” she shook her head and kissed me on the cheek. “I want to have sex.” She whispered in my ear.

“Wait, what?” I looked at her incredulously. “We just had sex last night and then again this morning.”

“I want to have sex again.” She giggled and wiggled around on my lap.

“And to think I was worried that there would be no more sex for us now that you’re pregnant.”

“Are you going to cancel lunch with Leo and take me on the Study table instead?” She looked at me hopefully, and a part of me was quite eager to take her up on it, but I knew that I couldn’t flake on Leo.

“How’s about a rain check?”

“What?” She pouted and jumped off of my lap. “Are you not attracted to me now that I’m fat.”

“Lucky, you are not fat.” I stood up and pulled her towards me. “I promise I will ravish you as soon as I get back from lunch.”

“What am I going to eat?”

“Do you want to come with me?” I asked slowly, not really wanting her to come, but not wanting her to stay home alone if she really didn’t want to be alone.

“No.” She shook her head and ran her fingers down my chest. “I know you need a guys lunch. Tell Leo I said hey and I’m sorry about Robin.”

“I’ll tell him you said hello, I’m not sure I’m going to mention Robin unless he does.”

“Makes sense.” She nodded and then I saw a gleam in her eyes.

“And no, Lucky. You’re not going to find someone to hook him up with.”

“Who said I was going to do that?” She pouted.

“I know you better than you know yourself.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close to me as I stroked her hair. “I’ll miss you while I’m at lunch, but I won’t be gone long, okay.”

“I’ll miss you as well.”

“Oh, Noah said he will come to the parenting class with us.”

“Oh, that’s great.”

“But we’re not to book anything until he sees if Robin can make it as well.”

“Oh, he’s asking her?”

“I have no idea what he’s doing.” I shrugged. “They’re going on some picnic and I guess if it goes well, he’s going to propose.”

“What?” She screeched and I laughed.

“I’m joking. It was a bad joke I know.” I laughed at her expression. “Anyways, I’m not sure what he’s hoping is going to happen at this picnic, but supposedly if it goes well, Robin’s going to be Skylar’s new mommy.” I made a weird face and she hit me in the arm.

“You’re a jerk, you know that right?” She laughed at me. “You’re so mean.”

“I’m mean?” I put my hands up. “My brother has lost his head. What girl wants to become a mother after one date?”

“Zane, let’s just see what happens.”

“Well, that’s what we’re doing.” I grinned. “Just don’t go booking the parenting classes as yet, just in case.”

“Oh, Zane.” She leaned forward and kissed me and I squeezed her ass.

“That’s so you don’t forget me while I’m at lunch.” I gave her ass a couple of light slaps and ran out of the study as she yelped and tried to hit me. I ran up the stairs laughing and Lucky followed quickly behind me.

***

“I’m glad I’m not a pariah in the Beaumont household anymore.” Leo grinned at me as we finished up lunch.

“You were never a pariah, just slightly unwelcome.” I laughed back at him. “Who knew you dated, Robin though? You never mentioned her to me.”

“You know I don’t like to talk about girls I date.”

“But you didn’t really consider her someone you were
dating
, did you?”

“Okay, okay, you got me. I know I messed up.” He shrugged. “Oh well, she never looked at me the way she looks at Noah.”

“Which is surprising, you’re a whole lot better looking than him.”

“I know right?” He played with his hair and we both laughed.

“Seriously though, Leo. Thank you. This could have become a really complicated situation. Thank you for just walking away.”

“All Robin did was talk about Noah.” He made a face. “About how much she liked him, but that he lied to her and she
wasn’t sure if she could trust him. Believe you me, she made the decision, not me.”

“I hope it works out for them.”

“Yeah, me too.” Leo continued eating and I shook my head.

“Liar, but whatever. Did I tell you I’m planning the wedding?”

“You’re what?” Leo sputtered and looked at me in shock. “Please tell me that Lucky hit her head? Whose idea was this?”

“She doesn’t know.” I laughed. “It’s going to be a surprise.”

“Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a surprise that doesn’t go down well? When Noah brought it up the other night, I thought he was joking around. I had no idea you were seriously going to go ahead with this.”

“It’s romantic, you chump.”

“Says who?”

“Says everyone.” I shook my head at him and took two gulps of beer. “Remember
Leeza, her crazy best friend? She have me some tips. She’s going to help me.”

“The
Leeza that tried to hook up with you and me?” He raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me, she recommended Poison Ivy for the bouquet.”

“
Haha, I know. I didn’t think she would be very helpful, but it turns out I was wrong. She’s given me a lot to think about.”

“So where is the wedding going to be held?”

“I’m going to find a place in Napa or Sonoma. A nice field or something. Maybe a vineyard.”

“Yeah baby, a wine tasting at a wedding. That would be awesome.”

“While that would be awesome, it’s not going to happen. My wife can’t drink as she’s pregnant.”

“She’s not your wife yet, Zane.”

“Oops, you know what I mean.”

“Yeah,” he laughed. “Though I never thought my boy would become so whooped. I never even imagined you getting married, let alone planning the wedding. Who stole your balls and how do I get them back for you?”

“Just wait until you fall in love.”

“I thought I did.”

“No, you didn’t. If you thought for one moment that Robin was the one you wouldn’t have given up so easily.”

“I miss her you know.” He sighed and his blue eyes looked at me seriously. “She was different. A little feisty and spunky, but I liked that. I liked that she didn’t want to just jump into bed. She wanted to get to know me. She wanted to really see if we had a connection. And I screwed up.”

“Can you sleep at night?”

“What do you mean, can I sleep at night?”

“It’s a simple question. Do you have trouble getting to sleep at night?”

“No, why?”

“When I first met Lucky in the diner and first started talking and interacting with her, she was all I could think about. Even in my dreams. And when I started dating her, I had trouble sleeping. I couldn’t think about anything but her. Do you spend your nights dreaming of Robin?”

“No,” he gave me a wry smile. “Not at all. Though a certain Playboy bunny did make an appearance in my dreams the other night.”

“You’re a pig.”

“It takes one to know one.” He laughed and finished up his steak. “Seriously though, you know I’m happy for you. Also, if you do anything to hurt Lucky, I’ll be waiting in the wings.”

“Why do I have a feeling there are many men waiting in the wings?” I shook my head and chugged the rest of my beer down.

“Because you’re marrying the best woman in the world.”

“I know.” I sighed. “Trust me, I worry every day that she’s going to wake up and think to herself, what did I do? I don’t want her to turn 30 and then look at me and all the kids and think what happened to my life.”

“All the kids? You guys are only having twins right?”

“Well, you know.” I laughed. “I’m fertile. We may have a whole basketball team, by the time she hits 30.”

“Do you want a whole basketball team?” Leo looked at me in surprise.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind.”

“Does she want a whole basketball team?”

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe that’s something you should talk about.”

“I guess we’ll discuss it in our parenting class.”

“I don’t think that’s the sort of thing you discuss in parenting class.” Leo shook his head at me. “Maybe in a marriage class.”

“A marriage class?”

“You know, one of those should we get married classes?”

“Oh hell no, I’m not going to anymore classes. I do not need someone to tell me that we’re not ready to get married; especially with her belly full of my babies.”

“Spoken like a proud sperm donator.”

“Leo, you’re a cad. I’m going to find you a woman to melt that cynical heart and you’re going to understand what it’s like to fall hook, line, and sinker.”

“It’s never going to happen.” He shook his head and I stared at him for a moment, wondering if I had been the same way before Lucky? How sad would it be if my best friend never found the love that I had found? I groaned to myself, as I realized I was actually contemplating letting Lucky hook him up with someone.

“You’re going to come to the wedding right? We’re going to pretend it’s a group summer vacation somewhere.”

“Just think about trying to stop me.”

“So are you still bouncing?”

“Nah, dad finally convinced me to give the family business a try.” He made a face. “Seeing as I’m the heir apparent and all that.”

“It must be so hard to be the heir to a billion dollar business.”

“It’s just not what I want to be doing.”

“I understand.”

“What about you? How goes the book?”

“It’s going slowly.” I shrugged. “The day job calls first and Lucky of course.”

“How hard is it to buy and sell stock?”

“I do a bit more than that, Leo.” I laughed. “But I’m trying to finish the book by the wedding, it’s my wedding gift to Lucky.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah.” I nodded. “She’s influenced a good amount of the book.”

“Cool, do you know what you’re going to call it?”

“Not sure as yet. Maybe
First Love
or something.”

“Could you be any sappier?”

“Not really.” I laughed. “Lucky put a spell on me and I can’t break free.”